Window 'closing really fast' for diplomatic solution to Iran nuclear action

EU's foreign affairs minister says Iran must take 'credible steps' to avoid snapback UN sanctions

Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign affairs minister, has called for Iran to take steps to avoid the reimposition of UN sanctions. EPA

European officials told Iran on Wednesday that it had yet to take the action needed to stop the reimposition of UN sanctions on its nuclear programme.

The comments from the German Foreign Ministry and the European Union came after Wednesday's call between Iran and representatives of France, Germany, the UK and Kaja Kallas, the EU foreign affairs minister.

“The window for finding a diplomatic solution on Iran’s nuclear issue is closing really fast,” Ms Kallas said in a statement. “Iran must show credible steps towards addressing the demands of France, [the] UK and Germany, and this means demonstrating full co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and allowing inspections of all nuclear sites without delay.”

The German Foreign Ministry wrote on social media platform X that “Iran has yet to take the reasonable and precise actions necessary to” stop the reimposition of UN sanctions.

Iran had no immediate comment on the call, although it had acknowledged earlier that the call would take place. Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency earlier reached a deal mediated by Egypt to grant the UN watchdog access to all Iranian nuclear sites and for Tehran to report on the whereabouts of all its nuclear material. It was unclear when Iran will make that report.

A 12-day war launched by Israel against Iran in June involved bombing of Iranian nuclear sites by Israel and the US, throwing into question the status of Tehran's stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.

The process to re-implement sanctions on Iran, described as a “snapback” by the diplomats who negotiated it in the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and six world powers, was intended to be veto-proof at the UN. It will take effect at the end of September unless the UN Security Council stops it.

It will refreeze Iranian assets abroad, halt arms deals with Tehran and penalise any development of Iran’s ballistic missile programme, among other measures, asserting further economic pressure on Iran.

Using the “snapback” mechanism is likely to make matters between Iran and the West worse in a region still burning over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, particularly after Israel began its ground offensive against Gaza city.